International Journal of Learning & Development

ISSN 2164-4063
2013, Vol. 3, No. 6

Overcoming Staff Turnover in the Hospitality Industry

using Mobley's Model
Ahmad Rasmi AlBattat (Corresponding author)
School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Sustainable Tourism Research Cluster (STRC), Universiti Sains Malaysia
Pulau Pinang, 11800, Malaysia
Tel: 60-1-9595-4499 E-mail: battat_ahmed@yahoo.com

Ahmad Puad Mat Som

School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Sustainable Tourism Research Cluster (STRC), Universiti Sains Malaysia
Pulau Pinang, 11800, Malaysia
E-mail: puadusm.gmail.com

Abdullah Saleh Helalat

Prince Sultan Collage for Tourism and Business, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
P.O. Box 447, Alhamrah Street, Alhamrah district, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
E-mail: abdullh_petra@yahoo.com

Doi:10.5296/ijld.v3i6.4844 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/ijld.v3i6.4844

Abstract
The turnover crisis has been one of the major problems in the hospitality industry. Regardless
of the considerable amount of studies on employee turnover, it is still ambiguous and requires
further investigation because of its dependency on human resource in the hospitality industry
as part of a service product. This paper provides a theoretical overview of Mobley’s model on
employees’ retention or turnover. The primary purpose of this study is to explain that the
applications of the Mobley model can either determine job dissatisfaction leading to job
turnover or job satisfaction leading to job retention. This application is an attempt to reduce the
effects of such a crisis in local hospitality industry; and findings from literature review indicate
that deprived working conditions will lead to dissatisfied employees and they eventually quit
employment. The practical implications of Mobley’s model guide various organizations in the
industry to mitigate the effects of employee turnover and increase employee retention.

Keywords: Mobley’s model, Turnover, Hospitality, Malaysia

1. Introduction
Hospitality is a successful industry due to its remarkable contribution to the economy, in
Malaysia specifically and in global generally. As a human based industry, hospitality depends
on humans as part of the product, in which, cannot be separated from the service process
(Ghazali, 2010). Employee satisfaction and retention are very important challenges that face
the success of the industry and, unfortunately, labor turnover crises have been emerging
globally in the face of many businesses, including hospitality. According to Lashley (2000),
turnover can be realized as an employee movement within an organization regardless of the
reasons. Though AKSU (2004) found that turnover rates have considerable passive effects on
hospitality performance.
The existing literature reviews the job stressors, job stress, job satisfaction, and the work
environment as factors which can dissatisfy people and possibly force them to quit their current

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job Tsaur and Tang (2012), Sharma et al. (2010), Banet et al. (2005), Ornelas and Kleiner
(2003), Burke (2003), Elangovan (2001), Burke and Greenglass (2001), Nelson and Burke
(2000), Varca (1999), Zohar (1994), Cooper and Cartwright (1994), Pestonjee (1992),
(Matteson & Ivancevich, 1982). Asserted that job stressors refers to role ambiguity, conflict,
and work overload. Stress refers to the employee’s negative feelings which gains from their
work environment. The work environment refers to the work dealing with matters which could
affect the employee’s experience such as satisfaction and job feelings.
Other studies have examined the environmental and organizational factors on the
employee's intention to turnover (Brough & Frame, 2004; Firth et al., 2004). From Bluedorn's
(1982) point of view, collecting data with the intention to leave a current job is more cost
effective than collecting data for the actual turnover studies. While Dorfman and Howell
(1988), Markus and Kitayama (1991), and Hofstede (1980) concentrated on the cultural issues
in the work place, Hofstede (1980) model of the cultural characteristics help to explain the
cultural differences between the rational groups in the work environment in different areas of
the world.
Turnover intention happens when an employee is faced with a bad working environment
with high stress in their current job, which in turn, may give them the intention to quit
(Hofstede, 1980). According to Vandenberg and Nelson (1999), the intention to quit refers to
the subjective norms affecting an employee to turnover from his current job to another one in
the near future. Blau (2000), Bigliardi et al. (2005), Mowday et al. (1982) identified the
intention to quit as the individual probability to stay or leave their organization; making the
difficult decision to leave the job in the near future. W. Mobley (1982) asserted that most
studies have been done through the direct or indirect organizational cost of turnover (Rothwell,
1980).

2. Literature Review
2.1 Turnover Intention
Turnover intention can be defined as the employee’s behaviour to quit from their current job. In
reference to Bigliardi et al. (2005), the intention to quit is the behaviour made by an employee
on whether they want to stay or leave the organization. Researchers argued that turnover
intention is an accurate predictor for an actual turnover crises (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980;
Gregory et al., 2007). According to Mowday et al. (1979), employees’ turnover decisions are
usually considered and undertaken with regard to their current job situation.
San Park and Kim (2009) argued that the employee’s intention to leave their jobs include
the actual thought of quitting from the organization as well as statement with the intent to
turnover. Nevertheless, the intention to leave is a behaviour predicting the actual turnover from
the current job (Gregory et al., 2007; W. Mobley, 1982; W. Mobley et al., 1978). Many studies'
findings have clarified that the actual intention to leave is strongly related to the actual turnover
from the organization (W. Mobley et al., 1978; Steel & Ovalle, 1984).
Many researchers have used the term “turnover intention”. Ajzen (1991) suggested in his
behaviour theory that the turnover intention is a good behaviour to predict for an actual
turnover. Other studies have explained that behavioural intention is closely related to the actual
one (Mobley et al., 1978; Newman, 1974). From their point of view, W. H. Mobley et al.
(1979) argued that intentions can give a better explanation of the actual turnover and a clear
idea about the employees’ perception toward turnover (Chiu & Francesco, 2003).

2.2 Mobley Model Applications

The model of March and Simon (1958) was one of the premier models of labour turnover;
studying the relationship between the factors affecting the employees’ movements to the actual
turnover (Bowen & Siehl, 1997; March, 1991). Beyond that, many studies have been done in

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various areas with many models were developed with regard to turnover (Mobley 1977; W. H.
Mobley et al., 1979; Price, 1977). Price presented his turnover model explaining that wages,
communications, and centralization are strong variables affecting turnover (Price, 1977). In the
same era, Mobley (1977) proposed a turnover model based on the linkage between employee
satisfaction and quitting based on: quit thinking, searching other jobs, intention to quit, and
actually quitting. It seems that an employee starts thinking about turnover after the case of
dissatisfaction from their current job. If an employee finds the cost of turnover is much high
and availability of other jobs, they will rethink the idea of leaving their current job (Muchinsky,
1993). Mobley tested his model again by studying hospital employees and found useful results
to enhance his model (Mobley et al., 1978).
From his point of view, Pearson (1991) clarified that not only it is difficult to find
turnover reasons due to personal issues but also the difficulties that arise from the unanswered
questions during the exit interviews conducted by the organizations. Pearson approved
Bowey's (1978) learning behaviour process which runs in line with Mobley’s model. The
model points out that a higher salary and the work environment are merely two of the reasons
which make an employee want to quit their current job. Salmon et al. (1999) asserted that pay
and supervision are highly agreeable reasons to leave the organization.
Turnover reduction should be taken into consideration of research scholars. Dario (1989)
clarified some methods to help the organization cope with turnover crises and as well as reduce
its rate. First, that the organization improve the labour selection of recruiting. Second, that
salary and wage policies should be evaluated orderly to maintain high valuable labour. Third, a
reward system should be established so the labourors will attain recognition according to their
good work. Fourth, a supervisory system should be provided to maintain the supervisors’
motivation. This will help to predict the problems before it exists in the organization. Finally, a
communication system should be enhanced to enable the employees to maintain an acceptable
level of contact with the organization (Dario, 1989). These methods were approved by Carrell
et al. (1992), Milkovich and Boudreau (1997) who suggested that organizations should
increase wages and improve opportunities to enhance job satisfaction.

3. Methodology
This study briefly describes the existing literature on job stress, job stressors, job
satisfaction, work environments, and cultural characteristics, and the turnover with the
intention to quit from a current job which leads to actual turnover using the Mobley model
(1977). A theoretical framework is also used to explain the relationship between these
variables.

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4. Theoretical Framework

Figure1: Relationship between job stressors and turnover crises

The above framework was adopted from Firth et al. (2004), W. Mobley (1982), Muchinsky
(1993), and improved by Banet et al. (2005), Burke (2003), Hom et al. (1984), Lee (1988),
Sharma et al. (2010), Zohar (1994) who asserted that job stress, job stressors, work
environment and cultural characteristics have an effect on an employee's intention to contribute
to a turnover crises.

5. Findings, Discussion and Conclusion

Employees’ turnover studies have been done from many perspectives. Similar to other
industries, the hospitality industry suffers from high turnover rates (Lee-Ross, 1999; Pizam &
Thornburg, 2000). Hospitality managers are important people in the organization who should
understand and know how to apply turnover policies in order to reduce the crises effect (W.
Mobley, 1982). The turnover levels in the hospitality industry vary from one organization to
another by size, type, and geographic location (Hinkin & Tracey, 2000). Woods and
Macaulay (1991) agreed with this argument and asserted that larger deluxe hotels had a lower
turnover rate than smaller budget hotels.
Other researchers have clarified that the employee turnover factors in hospitality
organizations are being used, such as working nature, labour nature, managers’ nature, the
efficiency of labour from secondary markets (Boella & Goss-Turner 2005 ). From his point of
view (AKSU, 2004) supported these factors. Hospitality organizations slightly offer a
granulated work environment; therefore, a working routine and regular job stress will force an
employee to think about evaluating their job.
Considering this as a global problem, researchers have argued that the Malaysian
hospitality sector could not escape this problem. Thus, this study aims to identify the Mobley’s
model and some other labour turnover model applications to the local hospitality industry.
Lynn (2002), and Wildes (2007) asserted that understanding turnover causes would help the
hospitality sector to reduce the problem and prevent the cause before it becomes a major issue.
One way is to provide better work conditions and increased wages.
Malaysia is a multi racial and religious country consisting of three major ethnic groups:
Malay, Chinese, and Indian (All Malaysia info, 2011). Wong (2007) mentioned that the Malay
ethnic group contributes to 58 percent of the entire population followed by the Malaysian
Chinese at 26 percent and the Malaysian Indian at 7 percent. As a multi-racial community, the
behavior in labour will be affected by the characteristics of these ethnic groups. According to
Abdullah (2001b), managers should be aware of the ethnic values for each one’s labour and

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understand its influence in their work. Managers should not take for granted their guidelines
when dealing with their labour. Relationship building, focus on labor ethnic groups, respect for
the leaders, religious sensitivity, and harmonious workflow all must be carefully considered.
Malaysian hospitality managers need to take efficient actions to support the goals and image of
the workplace (Abdullah, 2001a).
The results of relative studies fall in line with these findings. Aminuddin (2007) focused
on the working hours in the work place. MacHatton et al. (1997) asserted that selection is more
important for retaining employees and reducing the turnover crises. Some researchers have
advised the stakeholders to use a mentoring program (Lankau & Chung, 1998). Furthermore,
Varoglu and Eser (2006) studied the concept of internal marketing to reduce the crises.
Turnover models are aimed to solve the problems before they happen, understand turnover
intentions, and find a solution to enhance a positive work environment within the Malaysian
hospitality industry.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to extend their appreciation to the Universiti Sains Malaysia for the
Research University Grant under the Sustainable Tourism Research Cluster STRC entitled
'Tourism Planning' [Grant No. 1001/PTS/8660013] which made this study and paper possible.

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